Recent Games. The Value and Cost of Synergy is High

[Drunken Angel]

Thought I would try and contribute a little here as I do enjoy reading a lot on here.

 

I have been running BA since 5th Ed almost all of my lists feature fast armies

I have been refining a jump pack list over about 10 games.

I have been up against Genestelers cults, Death Guard, Harliquins and all variety of Aeldari.

I play against a top ranked masters player and our games while friendly are competition list forged

 

I have enjoyed a list similar to sfPanzer's

 

HQ

Cpt Ragnarok : hammer, shield, angels wing

Lemartes

Sanguinary Preist: JP

 

Troops

5 Scouts: bolters

5 Scouts: bolters

5 Intercessors: Sgt power sword

 

Flyers

Stormhawk Interceptor: Las Talon Assault cannon skyhammer

Stormhawk Interceptor: Las Talon Assault cannon skyhammer

 

Vanguard Detachment

Sanguinor

10 Death Company: bolter and chainsword  2 hammers

9 Sanguinary Guard: angelus bolt gun encarmine sword,  1 PF

Sanguinary Ancient: power fist,  standard of sacrifice,  Warlord

 

The list seems hero heavy but that seems to be what it takes to lift the list into the required synergy bubble.

 

Overall my DC are run super aggressive and tend to wreck a  lot of whatever they touch.  Because of the reserves rule they often start on the board other HQ's/elites can be held back or placed within the Intercessors for protection but DS is the preferred deployment for all the list.  Forlorn fury is the go-to if you get 1st turn but wings of fire is also good.  I have never had DC last to the end of turn three but thats fine they blow away chaff and hit hard absorbing a lot of shooting.

 

The big lever in the list is the Sanguinary Ancient as warlord with standard of sacrifice.  Sanguinary Guard Re-rolling all hit rolls next to this guy raises their combat output massively, re-rolling 1's to wound is icing.  Giving SG a 5+ FNP makes them much more resilient.   

The Sanguinor gives SG or DC that extra attack and can be sent off elsewhere as required in late game.

The Sanguinary priest has repaid his points in every game with his ability to restore wounds to the SG or DC squads and HQ's plus 1 strength stacked with red thirst is plain murder on anything.

Cpt Ragnarok is a massive distraction carnifex and does good service as a wrecking ball on his own or in a mob of DC.

Lemartes does what he does, buffs and bashes.

The Interceptors are magnificent at plowing the field and removing chaff for the Jumpers to charge through.  They are  resilient but seldom last the game but by then their job is done.

 

I have a couple of questions

I use wings of fire to relocate any HQ/WL to where they are needed and even break them out of combat with this stratagem, what do others do?

Does the Sanguinor benefit from Heirs of Azkaellon?  it appears not. 

 

 

 

[Panzer]

 

I have enjoyed a list similar to sfPanzer's

 

 

I've never played any list like that ever.

 

On top of that my list is 100% Primaris aside from a Librarian Dread and a Captain. That has nothing with competetiveness to do tho, I just enjoy playing Primaris BA.

[Drunken Angel]

 

 

I have enjoyed a list similar to sfPanzer's

 

 

I've never played any list like that ever.

 

On top of that my list is 100% Primaris aside from a Librarian Dread and a Captain. That has nothing with competetiveness to do tho, I just enjoy playing Primaris BA.

 

Apologies .. maybe I misread a list somewhere 

[Ornithologist]

I use Wings of fire on all sorts of stuff. 

 

- I've used it to save both characters and death company from Close combats they can't win. (also, it doesn't count as falling back. So you can fall back and recharge the same turn technically.)

- I've use it to snag tactical objective victory points.

- I've used it for late game character sniping with Inceptors of either kind.

- Pulling a unit that is considered "to far away to be effective" back in the fight. 

 

Also, I just realized that The Sanguinor has a shooting attack for the first time since ever, because of the ability to throw grenades in the Shooting phase. Huh. Yay 2+ to hit gernades

[brother_b]

I use Wings of fire on all sorts of stuff.

 

- I've used it to save both characters and death company from Close combats they can't win. (also, it doesn't count as falling back. So you can fall back and recharge the same turn technically.)

- I've use it to snag tactical objective victory points.

- I've used it for late game character sniping with Inceptors of either kind.

- Pulling a unit that is considered "to far away to be effective" back in the fight.

 

Also, I just realized that The Sanguinor has a shooting attack for the first time since ever, because of the ability to throw grenades in the Shooting phase. Huh. Yay 2+ to hit gernades

Woah Sanguinor grenades! Brilliant!

[Morticon]

Do you play vs AM at all? 

[Drunken Angel]

Do you play vs AM at all? 

No, how do you think that list would go Morticon ?

[Fahlnor]

The value and cost of synergy were at the forefront of my mind when I was putting together my latest army list. I agree that synergies are vital to getting the most out of Blood Angels, but I’m concerned that creating too many buff zones isn’t the best use of our points.

 

My thinking was that it may be worth investing into synergies specifically for one unit or unit type. What I mean by that is that by focusing your army on eg. Death Company, or Sanguinary Guard, or shooting units, you can spend fewer points on buffing characters and gain a net increase in your buff efficiency.

 

Very simple examples: Lemartes is wonderful when run alongside Death Company, Death Company Dreadnoughts and a Death Company Captain; the Sanguinor, Sanguinary Ancient (with Standard of Sacrifice) and Sanguinary Priest seriously boost Sanguinary Guard; foot-slogging Captain/Lieutenant combinations make infantry and vehicle gun lines significantly more dangerous.

 

So while we could spend our points on Lemartes and the Sanguinor and a foot-slogging Captain, perhaps it would be best to pick a particular unit type and focus on what we can do to really make that unit shine. The cost of spreading the buffs thin is two-fold: first is the literal cost in points, as these buffing characters are definitely not cheap; second is the efficiency cost of only having certain units fully benefit from each of the buff zones you pay for.

 

I appreciate that this is more relevant to your post title than to your actual questions, but it’s been something which was on my mind recently and your thread seemed a good place to bring it up.

 

What are your thoughts? Does a Sanguinary Guard unit reduce the value of having Lemartes in your list? Would you get more efficiency out of Astorath and more Death Company, rather than the Sanguinary contingent, for example?

[Morticon]

 

Do you play vs AM at all? 

No, how do you think that list would go Morticon ?

 

With a lot of LOS blocking terrain, and poor screening you'd do decently.

 

If the tables are average terrain wise, and you're up against a tourney level army, youre in for a tougher time - probably your toughest, I'd rate.